Henrietta had found a nice patch of wild carrot blossoms. Her mother dried them out and used them for decorating. Her mother also wove baskets and put the two things together to make lovely centerpieces to sell at market. Her dried flower arrangements were becoming popular and the traveling provisioners always had new orders for her. Her mother said that's because things were becoming more civilized. And when things got civilized, people had the time and the yearnings for beauty.

Henrietta, her little brother called her 'Etta, which she liked, cut the stems close to the ground, the way her mom liked, so she could tie them and hang them upside down in her drying shed.

'Etta wished again, as she had so many times before, that there were other children, besides her and her brother. Her mother had told her that long, long ago, when the world was different, there were children aplenty. Not so now. Most men and women were barren, Etta's mother told her. It was the radiation, she said. That made her and Nemo special, her mother told her. And she always scooted them into the underground bunker when the radstorms hit. Her mother told her she and Nemo were the future's hope.

'Etta wasn't sure she liked the idea of being the future's hope because she might be able to have children one day. She might like to one day, maybe, but she hoped it was because she had fallen in love and she and her sweetheart wanted to have children together. Not like Brandon raising his herd of brahmin, and so proud of his prize bull.

'Etta had never met her father and her mother wouldn't talk about him, only saying that after Nemo was born, he had left them. Her mother was still mad at him for it, 'Etta knew.

She had cut the blossoms, leaving two, which was her mother's rule. She had taught 'Etta that the last two had to be left to go to seed and make more wild carrots. She said it was very important never to take those last two. 'Etta always left them standing.

Her mother right now was very happy and excited. Not her usual serious, grumpy self. The leader of the whole Commonwealth, known simply by the letter Z for her name, which 'Etta thought was kind of fascinating, had sent out packets of seeds to all the settlements that she said must be grown where they could be sheltered from radstorms. Randolf, their handyman, had quickly made her mother a greenhouse from sandwiched materials and a cover that could be moved on and off that her promised would do the trick.

The seeds had sprouted, and her mother had told her in an awed whisper, as she gently, barely touched those first fragile seedling leaves, that these were plants that hadn't been seen in the 'Wealth for over 200 years. Her mother tended to them several times a day. Which left the gathering of wild blossoms and pretty vines to 'Etta. She didn't mind, though. That left washing dishes and sweeping for her little brother, Nemo. Chores that she despised. Her mother had declared that if Nemo could reach the sink, he was old enough to do dishes. Behind their mother's back, Nemo had stuck out his tongue at her, frowning fiercely as she wiped in eyes in mock sorrow as she grinned at him.

'Etta paused as she heard something foreign in the distance. She put her collecting basket down, and went silently toward the sound. It didn't sound like animals. It sounded like … the ocean or something large. She had no category for the sound to fit in in her mind.

Silently, she followed the ragstag path through the meadow, and entered into the wood. She silently found her way through the floor of the forest until she came to the crest of a rocky crag and where she was able to see for a quite a good distance. The sound was definitely coming closer.

She waited, laying down under a scraggly shrub that gave her just a bit of cover. Her clothes were of dull earth colors and she had on a bonnet of the same material. She knew from playing hiding games with Nemo that she would be next to invisible even to seeking eyes.

She slowed her breathing and quieted herself. She prided herself on her hunting skills. She slipped her knife from its sheath and held it at the ready, just in case.

The first figures came into sight. Then more came. And then even more. And after that, even more. They were fierce looking fighters, with frightening face paint and tattoos covering their chests and limbs. Their eyes were cold and promised no mercy. And weapons. They bristled with weapons.

She watched for another few seconds before she realized there was no end to the group that she could see, and if they kept heading in the direction they were, they would come upon her settlement. Her home. Her mother and brother and all their people.

She didn't imagine they were coming for dried flower arrangements.

'Etta forced down the sobbing breath her lungs wanted to take, and the sickening feel of adrenaline coursing up from her kidneys into her chest and spreading out.

She crept back on her belly with her head down until she could no longer see the armed force. As soon as she felt she was far enough, she ran, collecting basket and all her morning's gatherings left behind. She ran as she had never run before. She was flying, leaping over rocks and root, as sure footed as a ragstag. Her whole settlement depended on her speed now. There were killers coming.

As she crested the last hill, she saw her home, Arnette Valley, nestled cozily inside a circle of gentle rises. The neat rows of crops, the tidy homes, the new buildings under construction which were going to be a sawmill and carpentry shop and school.

She scrambled down the hill and didn't stop until she was in the center of town and ran to the large bell used for gatherings or trouble. She never in her life had heard it ring for this kind of trouble. She rang the large bell with all her might, the loud gonging hurting her ears, but still she rang and rang it. People were starting to run towards the center of town. She saw Nemo and her mother coming too.

The unofficial leader of their town was Dale Griffith. He came ambling up to her with his round girth and long mustache, frowning mightily at her.

"Henrietta, now you know that ringing that bell is not for children to do. I am telling you right now, if you don't have one helluva good reason for ringing it ..."

She screamed, then, at him, at all of them, "There's an army of killing folk on their way here. And I'm telling you, if we don't get everyone gone right now, we're all dead. We don't have any time at all – they're coming up behind me."

Griffith's eyes widened, "Tell me more, young lady," he ordered.

"There's no time for talking, Mr. Griffith! They are coming! Get everyone out and running now!" her own eyes were showing their whites all around, and her breath was coming in ragged gasps. Tears were streaking her face and she didn't remember when she started crying.

Griffith turned to the Valley's people. "I need two scouts to check it out. Hal and Peter. You go, and be careful. Try and get a head count and a description of what these 'killing folk' look like." He turned and yelled out in a loud voice to all the villagers, "For safety's sake, we are going to evacuate now. Don't stop to grab anything but some provisions and whatever weapons you have with as much ammo as you can carry – and just go. Travel due east, toward Somerville Place." He turned to Jed Mitchell, "Jed, you radio The Castle and let 'em know. We need help and we need it now. And then get the hell out yourself. Let's go people, don't lollygag."

'Etta threw herself at Mr. Griffith and hugged him, "Thank you for believing me," she panted out.

"Well, now, Miss Henrietta, I have known you your whole little life and I have never seen a look like that on your face. Now go on, and get your mom and brother moving. Quick, now."

He gave her a gentle swat her on the backside as left, running to her mother and Nemo.

Her mother wanted to bring her precious seedlings with her and some of her most prized books. 'Etta almost exploded with frustration. Ignoring her mother, she gathered up bottled water and dried food, a hunk of cheese and two loaves of bread and stuffed them into a pack. She snatched up their two pipe rifles and the pistol and stuffed the ammunition in the bag too.

"Mom, you won't be able to help any plants grow or ever read a book again, if you don't come with me NOW," she yelled.

Her mother looked stunned, but she nodded and took the pack and the rifle her daughter handed her as 'Etta loaded up two more packs for herself and Nemo.

"Come on, come on. Come on!" she hissed out through her clenched teeth, trying to hurry. She grabbed Nemo and her mother by their hands and pulled them out.

"Run!" she cried and tried to pull them with her.

They ran. The entire village ran, except for the scouts and Jed that Griffith had sent off.

It wasn't long, though, before Jed, Hal and Pete had caught up to Griffith, who was huffing and out of breath. Dale Griffith wasn't in running shape anymore.

Jed, panting, had reported that he hadn't managed to get to the radio. The scouts had returned wide-eyed and screamed to him to run before he even got to the radio hut. The three of them bolted. Jed said he got a glimpse of the hoard before he and Hal and Peter had ducked into the woods and ran away as fast as they could. He described what 'Etta had seen. Painted and tattooed warriors or raiders – looking to spill blood or take slaves. Or both.

"Look!" someone called out.

'Etta looked around her, scared and confused, but then followed everyone's eyes and saw.

The sky was filling with black, thick smoke to the east. The men were burning their village.

Griffith stopped. He called several men to him and told the rest of the villagers to continue on, not to stop and keep going no matter what they heard. If there were any volunteers who wanted to try and slow down the killers, they were welcome to stay, he said.

"You all run now, as fast as you can. Split up into smaller groups, and head in different directions. Go now!" Griffith commanded.

'Etta started to go to him, but Nemo grabbed her arm, "No!" he said, horror in his voice, "We need you, 'Etta!"

So, 'Etta took her mother and brother and pulled them away to the southeast where the narrow ragstag paths she knew would lead them to the caves she had discovered in her wanderings. The opening were hidden by greenery this time of year.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry…" she chanted and pulled on Nemo's arm. Her mother was falling behind.

"Mom!" 'Etta called, "Hurry!"

Her mother was winded, though, and said, panting, "I can't run any more Henrietta. I can't." She had stopped with her hands on her knees breathing hoarsely.

"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you. Leave me the sign, and I'll know."

When 'Etta found the caves, she looked around desperately. She broke off some of the vines and made a heart shape out of them off the side of the path. That was the sign her mother had been talking about. A game they used to play. She pulled Nemo in.

They went deeper into the caves, but it was not deep enough to hide the screaming when it started.